- Plus, Martyn Bennett's Grit announced as Modern Scottish Classic Award Winner
- And Sound of Young Scotland Award Finalists Revealed
- Stream the Shortlist
- www.sayaward.com
- #SAYaward
The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) has revealed the 10 Shortlisted albums now in the running for 2024’s Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, with the winner set to gain the coveted title along with the £20,000 first prize. Plus, Martyn Bennett’s final studio album Grit is announced as the winner of 2024’s Modern Scottish Classic Award, voted for by the 20 artists that made up this year’s SAY Award Longlist.
The SAY Award has also revealed this year’s five Sound of Young Scotland Award finalists, with the winner set to be revealed at this year’s Ceremony in Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 24 October, alongside the SAY Award winner.
The SAY Award Shortlist for 2024, in alphabetical order, is:
- Arab Strap I'm totally fine with it 👍don't give a fuck anymore 👍
- Barry Can't Swim When Will We Land?
- Becky Sikasa The Writings and the Pictures and the Song
- corto.alto Bad With Names
- Dead Pony IGNORE THIS
- Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand Willson Williams
- Lucia & The Best Boys Burning Castles
- Rachel Sermanni Dreamer Awake
- rEDOLENT dinny greet
- Theo Bleak Pain
Music fans were given 72 hours to ‘have their SAY’ and vote for their favourite Longlisted album to secure a place on the Shortlist, with Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand revealed as this year’s public vote winner. The 9 remaining Shortlisted albums were chosen by The SAY Award judging panel.
The Modern Scottish Classic Award, presented by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), is an annual recognition of an iconic album from Scotland’s past that still inspires today. The award was voted for by 2024’s Longlisted artists, with Martyn Bennett’s Grit (2003) named this year’s Modern Scottish Classic.
The five finalists for The Sound of Young Scotland Award (supported by Help Musicians, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland and Youth Music) have also been announced. The award aims to stimulate and support the future of Scottish music, offering a funding package worth up to £10,000 to a young and emerging Scottish artist to assist them in creating their debut album. 2024’s finalists are: Alice Faye, Dillon Barrie, Goliath, Pippa Blundell and Spyres.
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said: “Congratulations to the 10 incredible albums that have made The SAY Award Shortlist, as well as to our Sound of Young Scotland Award finalists and this year’s Modern Scottish Classic Award winner; Martyn Bennett's outstanding, innovative and much-loved record ‘Grit’. This is a fantastic representation of the strength and diversity of Scottish music – past, present and future.
“In what has been – and continues to be – an incredibly challenging time for Scotland's cultural sector, The SAY Award’s role in celebrating, promoting and rewarding artistic endeavour is more important than ever. Culture is our identity; it’s how we understand ourselves, our place in the world and how we connect with each other. It tells the stories of life in Scotland and is essential to our collective and individual well-being. By championing the incredible musical output of our nation, we share our stories with the rest of the world and find new ways to connect.
“Scottish music not only enriches who we are but also contributes significantly to our economy, generating £195 million in 2018 alone, with music tourism adding £406 million. These figures show the profound impact of music, not just culturally, but in creating jobs, driving growth and funding vital public services. Without sustained and increased investment, however, the future for many of our artists and cultural organisations remains uncertain. It’s therefore essential that we continue to advocate for the long-term commitment that Scottish culture both needs and deserves.
"The SMIA is proud of its ongoing commitment to the continued value of music and the arts in Scotland, and The SAY Award is a vital part of this work. A huge thank you to our partners for their invaluable support, and we look forward to an unforgettable celebration at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 24 October.”
BJ Stewart, one of the founding members of the Martyn Bennett Trust and Martyn’s close friend and photographer, said: “The Martyn Bennett Trust is deeply honoured that Grit has been awarded the 2024 Modern Scottish Classic Award. This recognition is especially meaningful coming from fellow artists across Scotland's diverse music scene, reflecting the enduring impact of Martyn’s work.
‘Grit’ unites ancient and modern sounds, blending traditions with contemporary influences and championing marginalised voices. We are thrilled that ‘Grit’ continues to inspire and influence musicians from so many different genres and backgrounds, much as Martyn himself sought to unite those elements in his work.
This award reaffirms his vision of music as a force for connection and unity, as relevant today as it was in 2003. We are incredibly grateful to the Scottish Music Industry Association, The SAY Award nominees, and everyone who continues to celebrate Martyn’s music. Thank you.”
Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Margaret Brisley said: “We can’t wait to welcome Scotland’s most exciting musical artists to Stirling’s Albert Halls on 26 October for The Scottish Album of the Year Award.
“The announcement of The SAY Award Shortlist signals that the countdown is firmly on for one of the biggest events for Scotland’s music industry.
“Stirling has a strong track record for hosting major cultural events and are proud to have been home to The SAY Award Ceremony for three successive years.Stirling’s venues will continue to showcase and nurture Scotland’s creative talent and we look forward to celebrating these amazing artists at this year’s ceremony.”
2024’s SAY Award Shortlist, Modern Scottish Classic Award winner and Sound of Young Scotland finalists will be celebrated at this year’s Ceremony, culminating in a celebration of Scottish music past, present and future. One of the biggest nights in Scottish music, the Ceremony takes place in the heart of Scotland at Stirling’s Albert Halls on Thursday 24th October. Final tickets from www.sayaward.com.
The Modern Scottish Classic Award, presented by the SMIA, is annually selected by the 20 artists on The SAY Award Longlist. All 20 artists submit their top 5 Scottish albums, which pre-date the inception of The SAY Award (2011), and continue to inspire to this day.
Martyn Bennet’s final studio album Grit is the fourth recipient of the Modern Scottish Classic Award. A record which is widely credited with starting the musical evolution of Celtic fusion, it features tracks including ‘Blackbird’, ‘Chanter’ and ‘Move’, where Martyn expertly blended Scottish traditional music and singers with cutting edge electronica and dance beats.
His fifth album, Grit featured the traditional singers, largely travellers, that Martyn was raised on, showcasing the astonishing purity of the past whilst basking in modern dance culture. Martyn battled with Hodgkins Lymphoma throughout the making of the album, undergoing extensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as a bone marrow transplant. No longer able to play instruments himself, Grit was his sole artistic outlet. Martyn Bennett passed away 15 months after the release of Grit, in January 2005 at 33 years old, following a short but extraordinary career that has left a stunning musical legacy, not only in Scotland, but around the world.
The Modern Scottish Classic Award winner was voted for by 2024’s SAY Award Longlist, whilst the Sound of Young Scotland finalists were chosen by a panel of former SAY Award nominees including Hamish Hawk, Lizzie Reid and former winner LVRA. The Sound of Young Scotland judging panel whittled 66 eligible applicants down to the five finalists, and will reconvene to choose the winner which will be announced at 2024’s SAY Award Ceremony.
Supporting the next generation of Scottish talent, the Sound of Young Scotland Award funding package is worth up to £10,000 and includes: cash grants for studio/production costs, in-kind use of The Tolbooth in Stirling (inc. the studio, venue space for filming etc.), a performance slot at 2025’s SAY Award Ceremony, 250 vinyl pressings of their debut album from Seabass Vinyl and much more. Supported by Help Musicians, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland and Youth Music, the judging panel will choose from five finalists: Alice Faye, Dillon Barrie, Goliath, Pippa Blundell and Spyres.
Morag Macdonald, Youth Music Initiative Manager at Creative Scotland said: “The Sound of Young Scotland Award is a vital platform for emerging talent, offering not only financial support but also the tools and opportunities young artists need to take their first steps towards making their mark on the Scottish music scene. This award shines a spotlight on the incredible creativity and potential of the next generation. We’re delighted to offer this award with funding through the Youth Music Initiative and look forward to witnessing the evolution of these young artists.”
One of the most highly anticipated nights in Scotland’s musical calendar, music fans can buy tickets to attend The SAY Award Ceremony, joining an audience of artists, industry professionals, press and cultural tastemakers to celebrate outstanding Scottish music, with a series of special live performances on the night. Final tickets via www.sayaward.com.
The SAY Award is a Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) production. The SAY Award 2024 is delivered in partnership with Creative Scotland, Stirling Council, Stirling Alive with Culture, Seabass Vinyl, Ticketmaster, Help Musicians, HMV, FOPP, PPL, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative, Youth Music, Music Declares Emergency, Harviestoun Brewery and Hotel Colessio (hotel partner for The SAY Award Ceremony).
The SAY Award’s charity partner is Scotland’s national children’s and young people’s mental health charity, Tiny Changes, set up in memory of Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison to help young minds feel better.
Now in its thirteenth year, previous winners of The SAY Award include; Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’ (2023), Fergus McCreadie ‘Forest Floor’ (2022), Mogwai ‘As The Love Continues' (2021), Nova ‘Re-Up’ (2020), Auntie Flo ‘Radio Highlife’ (2019), Young Fathers ‘Cocoa Sugar’ (2018), Sacred Paws ‘Strike A Match’ (2017), Anna Meredith ‘Varmints’ (2016), Kathryn Joseph ‘Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled’ (2015), Young Fathers ‘Tape Two’ (2014), RM Hubbert ‘Thirteen Lost & Found’ (2013) and the inaugural winner Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat ‘Everything’s Getting Older’ (2012).
SAY Award Ceremony tickets are on sale now via www.sayaward.com. £18 + booking fee.
Background
Sound of Young Scotland quotes
Alice Faye said, “I am genuinely buzzing and overwhelmed to be included in the final 5 for the Sound of Young Scotland Award! Truly, without seeming like an over-the-top madame, this has been such a dream for me. I’ve always looked up to and admired the SAY Awards, so to actually be included in it or even just thought of as someone who could represent the Sound of Young Scotland is a total honour :)"
Dillon Barrie said, “I'm very honoured and excited to be one of the 5 finalists for the Sound of Young Scotland Award. I cant wait to have the opportunity to display my work to a bigger audience and wish the other finalists the best.”
Goliath said, “I'm so chuffed to have been chosen as a finalist. Totally hit me out of left field and made my day when I received word."
Pippa Blundell said, “I am both buzzing and shocked that I have been chosen as a finalist for the Sound of Young Scotland! Being a young emerging artist in today's industry can feel daunting at times and sometimes really hard to keep going but with recognition from amazing organisations like this it helps to feel like you're going in the right direction. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Spyres said, "It's an honour to be selected as one of the finalists for the Sound of Young Scotland Award. What began as an acoustic duo for fun during our teenage years has grown into something more meaningful than we ever could have imagined and to be recognised for this hard work means the world to us. As a female-fronted and fiercely Scottish band, we hope we can help inspire other young Scots to get creative and pursue their dreams in music."
SCOTTISH MUSIC INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (SMIA)
The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) is a not-for-profit trade body and membership organisation which exists to strengthen, empower and unite Scotland’s music industry.
As a Creative Scotland Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO), we work to create and nurture an inclusive membership community which reflects the full spectrum of Scotland’s music industry. We give voice to our membership when speaking to Government, Parliament and development organisations, and we both produce and support projects and programmes that stimulate sustainability, domestic and international growth, development and innovation in Scotland’s music sector. Our services, projects and events are designed to strengthen and increase the value of Scotland’s music industry on the world stage: economically, socially and culturally.
For further information on the SMIA and its services, projects and events please visit www.smia.org.uk.
Keep up to date with the SMIA across our social media channels:
Twitter: twitter.com/TheSMIA |Facebook: facebook.com/TheSMIA | Instagram: instagram.com/the_smia
CREATIVE SCOTLAND
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
Youth Music Initiative
The Youth Music Initiative is a music education programme with a vision to put music at the heart of young people’s lives and learning funded by the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland. Since its establishment in 2007 the programme has distributed over £159 million, transforming music learning facilities for children and young people across the country. You can find out more about the programme on the Creative Scotland website.
STIRLING COUNCIL
Stirling Council serves more than 94,000 residents and a thriving business community in an area that stretches from the scenic Campsie Fells to the vibrant city of Stirling and the outstanding natural landscape of the Trossachs. Stirling is steeped in history and will celebrate its 900th anniversary as a Royal Burgh in 2024. The nation’s most cherished landmarks are found here, including the National Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle, making Stirling alive with history and culture while a growing modern artistic scene nurtures new creative talent.
Equidistant to both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Stirling is ideally situated for business as well as a place to live, work, study and visit. Stirling has a strong reputation as a business and investment location and hosts some of the UK and Europe’s most innovative science and technology businesses, including Codebase, the UK’s largest Technology Incubator.
Stirling Council’s vision is to be a responsive local authority that works positively with employees, partners and communities to deliver on key priorities and ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone who lives in the Stirling area.
SEABASS VINYL
Seabass Vinyl is Scotland’s first vinyl pressing plant. We are an independent, family-owned business, manufacturing records from our factory in East Lothian, with an emphasis on quality and sustainability. We offer fair prices, short production runs and optimised production lead times. Our ambition is to become a valuable partner to the Scottish music industry and our local community
TICKETMASTER
Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket marketplace and the global market leader in live event ticketing products and services. Through official partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports teams, festivals, performing arts centres and theatres, Ticketmaster processes 550 million tickets per year across 35+ different countries.
HELP MUSICIANS
Help Musicians is a charity that loves music and for over 100 years has been working hard to make a meaningful difference to the lives of musicians across the UK. It offers a broad range of help to support music creators in times of crisis and opportunity - ensuring musicians across the UK can achieve their creative potential and sustain a career in music.
HMV
HMV, for the fans since 1921. A leading specialist retailer of music, film, pop culture and technology products, with over 100 stores around the UK & Ireland offering a wide selection of new release and catalogue titles
FOPP
PPL
Founded in 1934, PPL is the UK music industry’s collective management organisation (CMO) for performers and recording rightsholders. We licence recorded music in the UK when it is played in public (bars, nightclubs, shops, offices, etc.) or broadcast (BBC, commercial radio, commercial TV, etc.) and we work to ensure that revenue flows back to both our own members and those of our international CMO partners. Our members include both independent and major record companies, together with performers ranging from emerging grassroots artists through to established session musicians and globally renowned artists.
PPL’s public performance licensing is carried out on our behalf by PPL PRS Ltd, the joint venture between PPL and PRS for Music. Through a network of agreements with other CMOs around the world, we also collect performance rights internationally when music is played overseas in public and used on TV, radio and some online streaming services, as well as for private copying. International royalties are an increasingly important revenue stream for performers and recording rightsholders.
In 2023, PPL paid out a record £279.6 million to more than 165,000 performers and recording rightsholders, the highest in the organisation’s 90-year history.
YOUTH MUSIC INITIATIVE
The Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI), administered by Creative Scotland, creates access to high quality music making opportunities, enables young people to achieve their potential in or through music and supports the development of the sector for the benefit of young people. In 2021/22, more than 362,483 children and young people from Scotland’s 32 local authority areas were given free access to music-making experiences.
To find out more about the YMI programme please visit https://www.creativescotland.com/youth-music-initiative
YOUTH MUSIC
Youth Music is the UK’s leading young people’s music charity.
We believe that every young person should have the chance to make, learn and earn in music.
Yet our research shows that many can’t because of who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through.
We leverage our insights, investment, and influence to build a national grassroots infrastructure that ensures the future of music is more inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible.
Youth Music is funded thanks to the National Lottery via Arts Council England, players of People's Postcode Lottery and support from partners, fundraisers and donors.
MUSIC DECLARES EMERGENCY
Formed by a group of UK based artists and music industry professionals in London in 2019, Music Declares Emergency has now expanded to four continents and works with over 8000 declarers from all sectors and areas of the global music industry, placing music at the heart of conversation and action in relation to the climate emergency.
Our work engages fans with the facts, develops messaging that cuts through the noise, works with artists to use their platforms, and encourages new business practice.
Our ‘No Music On A Dead Planet’ message has been seen by millions and frames a community of music lovers dedicated to working with us and the movement to campaign for systemic change to deliver real action on climate. www.musicdeclares.net
HARVIESTOUN BREWERY
Our beer isn’t just made of malt, hops, barley and water. It’s made of Scotland, the raw untamed environment that surrounds our brewery. We are Harviestoun Brewery. Since 1983, we have been brewing award winning beers, such as Schiehallion winner of World’s Best Pilsner and World’s Best Golden Ale with Bitter & Twisted along with Ochil Lager and a stable of other Gold medal winners. We strive to make ground breaking, quality beers for all to enjoy. For additional information on Harviestoun Brewery and our range of beers, please check out our website: www.harviestoun.com.
TINY CHANGES
Tiny Changes is Scotland’s first national young people’s mental health charity. We run projects with young leaders that help young minds feel better. The charity was set up in memory of artist and Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison. Through his music and art Scott made tiny changes that had a big impact on people from all walks of life.
We believe that Scotland’s young people deserve great mental health, and we believe in their insight and innovation to make this possible. We exist to nurture the talent of young people to find solutions that work for them.
In four years, we’ve funded 69 innovative mental health ideas - from bubble therapy with refugees to peer-led crisis prevention cafe and d/Deaf youth wellbeing resources - supporting over 4,000 children and young people, with many of them leading change in their communities.
Over the next three years we'll support young people to co-design and lead Tiny Changes projects, while learning as much as we can about our impact. Our two goals are to invest £1 million in young people’s mental health and to support 10,000 children and young people by the end of 2026.
HOTEL COLESSIO
This beautiful Victorian landmark has been magnificently transformed into a contemporary boutique hotel that offers elegance and comfort. Whether you are looking to enjoy an overnight stay, have a drink in our wine bar, or celebrate your wedding day, Hotel Colessio is the ultimate setting.
The hotel is only a stone’s throw from the historic Stirling Castle and is the perfect location for exploring central Scotland as well as your gateway to the Highlands. We look forward to welcoming you.
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THE SAY AWARD PRESS OFFICE
Colette Baptie | [email protected] | 07807 887 527